Georges philippe omee hxroux



(No Model.)

G. P. 0. HEROUX. AGG'OMPANIMENT INDICATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

No. 478,107. Patented July 5, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGES PHILIPPE OMER HEROUX, OF YAMACIIICIIE, CANADA.

ACCOMPANiMENT-INDICATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,107, dated July 5, 1892. Application filed December 5, 1891. Serial No. 414,197. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, GEORGES PHILIPPE OMER HEROUX, acitizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Yamachiche, in the county of St. Maurice and Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Accompaniment-Indicators for Keyboard Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will e11- able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has reference to a very simple contrivance which can be put on the keyboard of either a piano, organ, or harmonium and whereby any person, no matter how ignorant they may be of the principles of music, can accompany in the right key a singer, a choir, or a piece of music on any instrument, provided the key is known. Moreover, the device forming the subject of my invention is very portable and not expensive and will render real services in any circumstances. On the other hand, it could be made quite ornamental for a drawing-room by using any expensive material that could be desired.

Referring to the drawings similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan View of a keyboard of a piano, organ, or harmonium, showing my invention, which is placed across the black keys. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 represent different sections of the same.

As can be seen in Fig. 1,the invention simply consists of a rod A, provided on one of its extremities with a disk a, which serves to keep the rod A from moving longitudinally, and for this purpose is placed, for instance, between two black notes b and c or any other ones to suit. However, in Fig. 1 it is shown as being placed above the white or long key d which happens to be the note G on the keyboard, and the red A would be marked, as hereinafter explained, to conform to this position; but any other position of the disk a can be taken as a starting-point. Consequently having decided the position of the disk a-that is, the key over which it is always to be placed, it does not matter which oneI mark points 6 e e e, &c., on the rod A in any suitable manner by painting them on or by incrusting a substance different from the one of the rod, &e., opposite each key, which is placed immediately underneath and which would make an accompaniment according to the rules of harmony, said points being arranged for both hands of the operator. Each side of the rod A will have a different accompaniment, but always in the same key exclusively for each rod. (lousequently each rod A is made for a special key and will have on its several longitudinal sides various accompaniments always in this key, comprising major intonations, minor intonations, &c. Therefore there will be as many sides given to the red A as is possible to give different accompaniments for any particular key, and they may be square, hexagonal, octagonal, or, in fact, have any desired number of sides.

On the outer side of the disk a is marked the key of the rod to which it is attached, and all that there is to do when it is required to accompany a piece of music is to have the key and then place the required rod A on the keyboard in the position for which itis made. Then the accompanist has all the different accompaniments before him. Of course he will have to use his natural musical talent to change the accompaniment, according to the piece which is being played. As can be seen, itis quite mechanical and no knowledge of music is required by the operator.

lVhat I claim is 1. An accompaniment-indicator consisting of a rod provided with a projection at one end adapted to be placed over the key-note between two of the keys of the instrument to prevent the longitudinal movement of the said rod and points marked upon the surface of the rod at certain distances from the said projection and arranged to come over certain of the keys which are in harmony with each other and with the said key-note, substantially as set forth.

2. An accompaniment-indlcator consisting of a polyhedral rod provided with a disk at one end projecting around the rod and adaptand with the key-note, substantially as set ed to be placed overthe key-note between two forth. 10 of the keys of the instrument to prevent the Intestirnony whereof I affix my signature in longitudinal movement of the rod and series presence of two witnesses.

5 of points marked upon the sides of the red at- GEORGES PHILIPPE OMER HEROUX.

certain distances from the said disk, each se- \Vitnesses: ries being arranged to come over certain of CHARLES GARCEAU,

the keys which are in harmony with each other AIME OARBONNEAU. 

